A new generation of cafes and restaurants is emerging in Mumbai. These cafes are offering something unique to their visitors. Going beyond the generic and run-of-the-mill hype, these cafes are actively engaging their customers and adding more nuance to their offerings. This engagement is nothing short of a sensory experience. It’s storytelling at its best. What is it that makes this particular ‘blend’ special?

What’s the house blend going around? Or this is how cacao is sustainably sourced, stored, and made into this fine chocolate here, but that’s just one example. At the heart of this are chefs who are bringing in their philosophy to similar openings here in Mumbai.

That’s what we’re looking to explore. The GFTR 2025 corroborates our claim, with its idea of ‘destination dining’ trend. Destination dining involves weaving together remote, immersive environments, narratives of terroir and seasonal, and hyper-local produce with culinary artistry to craft an unforgettable dining experience.

And this is the type of thinking we’re looking for! Take a look at our compilation 

Destination Bombay

First on the list is Bombay Canteen. Executive Chef Hussain Shahzad, worked at New York's Eleven Madison Park before returning to India and joining the team at Bombay Canteen. When the same owners opened the Goa-inspired O Pedro, they appointed Hussain as the chef. It went on to become a spectacular success, he has since become the chef for the whole group. Hussain’s food philosophy is simple - showcase local produce using contemporary culinary techniques that inspire the future generation of chefs to cook smarter.

The Bombay Canteen artfully combines traditional dishes with contemporary presentations, offering a dining experience that is both nostalgic and exciting. Their menu, once defined by seasons and regions, has now grown. The India they’re now serving no longer has borders or boundaries. It’s a vast, amorphous and fluid idea of India, pushing techniques, textures, ingredients and flavour.

Riding on this wave of success, the talented team behind The Bombay Canteen has launched a new venture called Papa's—a 12-seated fine dining restaurant with a fun twist, inviting guests to experience fine dining refreshingly and entertainingly.

Highlights: Begum’s Baked Brie, Chilled Sea Bass ‘Sev Puri’, Pork Birria Taco

A similar spirit is echoed at Tanjore Tiffin Room. While driven by the strong conceptual vision of restaurateur Kishore DF, its success lies in its chef-led precision in executing homestyle Tamil cuisine. It’s a destination for cultural immersion, where the simple act of opening a tiffin carrier reveals layers of tradition and flavour, carefully curated to feel both nostalgic and new.

Similarly, at Soam, founder Pinky Chandan Dixit has created an enduring destination by elevating regional Gujarati and Rajasthani vegetarian food. 

The craft-driven purists: Masters of a Singular Focus

Another facet of this trend is the rise of cafés built around a singular, deeply-honed craft.

Pomodoro is a 28-seater pasta bar, bringing the real Italian cuisine to life by fusing innovation and tradition in a warm, chef-focused environment. It has an unmatched dining experience that honours Italy's love of comfort cuisine and community with its open kitchen, handcrafted artisanal pasta, and menu based on freshness and tradition. 

Under the direction of Chef Afshaa Rajqotwala, Pomodoro honors Italy's culinary legacy while adding a unique touch. Enthusiasts are served at a separate coffee counter, and monthly specials provide an intriguing selection of unusual pasta forms, sauces, and creative desserts, such as seasonal gelatos and constantly changing tiramisu variations.

This philosophy of craft extends to beverages and baked goods at Subko Coffee Roasters & Bakehouse. Founded by Rahul Reddy, Subko is a destination for those who appreciate process. It's a place to understand the terroir of a coffee bean from a specific estate or the complex fermentation of a sourdough loaf. It embodies the chef-led spirit through its obsessive focus on sourcing, technique, and education, turning a simple coffee run into a lesson in craft.

The experiential innovators: curators of a vibe

Gaijin embraces its Japanese name—“outsider”—boldly merging reverence with rebellion. Led by Chef Anand Morwani alongside Rohan Mangalorkar and Karan Gaba, the concept champions Japanese technique through an inventive Indian lens.

The space evokes a Tokyo back-alley aesthetic, with stark, evocative interiors. By night, it becomes a Tokyo afterparty, thanks to vinyl-led music and bespoke analogue speakers. Upstairs, a private dining room—seating just 20—adds intimate allure, while a neon-lit alley whispers “hidden Tokyo” in the heart of Khar.

Culinary highlights: Gunkan: spicy rayu, smoked corn, miso, nori, and takuan, Lamb Ribs: toban yaki glaze with sesame and scallions, Cherry Wood Smoked Himalayan Trout.

The New Café Culture

This chef-led transformation is creating a more vibrant and meaningful café culture in Mumbai, offering exceptional food in relaxed settings. They are becoming hubs for communities built around a shared passion—be it for regional food, artisanal coffee, or a specific cultural vibe.

The rise of the destination café proves that the future of dining is not just about what's on the plate, but about the story it tells, the world it creates, and the vision of the chef who brings it to life. 

Which of these cafes have you visited? Let us know in the comments!